When Fr. Dave first spoke with me about asking fellow church members to share their faith journey, I agreed that it was a good idea. Of course, I was hoping he wouldn’t consider me, but here I am. I still think it’s a good idea, because we all have stories worth sharing. Gratitude being the subject of this sharing has helped to remind me of all the goodness that I have been blessed with.

First on my list I want to mention my wife Loretta, who has been with me for 31 years and been my wife for coming up on 28 years. We enjoy a very wonderful marriage, in which I have reason to believe that we have been brought together as a blessing from God. Without Loretta, I probably never would have discovered the Episcopal Church.

The first gratitude in my life is to have had the mother which I did have. She introduced me to God by bringing me up Roman Catholic. I don’t remember it, but I’m sure she was there helping me learn my prayers, which I needed to know, so I could receive my first communion and go to confession. After all there were a lot of sins for an 8-year-old, let alone a teenager.

It was about 30 years ago that I found St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Hampstead N.H., which was another blessing to be thankful for. Shortly after that I became a seasonal visitor
of St. John’s in Sanbornville (seasonal because, we were only in the area summer and winter weekends). Whenever we came back for our seasonal visits I felt that SJtB was my real home. Since retirement 15 years ago I have been able to be a year-round member of StJB.

Being involved with EpiscoGolf at St. John’s has opened my eyes to the many people that are in need that I would not normally have come in touch with. Finding out more and more about these needy people has made me more thankful to God for all that I have been blessed with. Not to brag, but because of EpiscoGolf I have become involved with the Salvation Army and several years of volunteer work at a homeless center. These are experiences I never would have thought about without StJB church. Thank you all!

My favorite times to give thanks to God are in solitude, hiking, biking, or spending time alone in a quiet room. My personal blessings are more than I have mentioned, and I’ll save those for another time.

I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation,
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. —Psalm 40: 10